Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 4/5 Stars
Dolby Atmos has undoubtedly generated a new surge of interest in multi‑channel music creation, and that has been further encouraged by a number of the mainstream DAWs adding support for the format. However, while a number of specialised effects plug‑ins (for example, LiquidSonics’ Cinematic Rooms Professional Atmos‑ready reverb) have appeared, items for a dedicated Atmos/spatial audio recording/mixing toolkit are fairly thin on the ground. All of which makes Nine Angles For Forte’s (NAFF) Spat Curve — described as a 3D sample‑based instrument collection — rather intriguing.
Spat Curve is designed for Kontakt (full or Player version) but was created from the ground up to support — and exploit — the spatial audio opportunities provided by Atmos/Ambisonics in both a studio/recording context and a live performance context. The library provides 16 different individual instruments (more on these in a minute) but each is constructed so that, when played, its performance dynamics include spatial components, with both the instruments and the effect elements of the sounds making full use of the spatial positioning that Atmos, Ambisonics and other multi‑channel playback system provide; these are true ‘3D instruments’.
The source instruments are an eclectic selection. For example, they include ensembles for bassoon, French horn, trombone, marimba and guitar, a 3D acoustic drum kit (this is particularly impressive), a collection of four synth‑based sounds (two basses and two leads), several different whistles and a stick‑based percussion instrument. Each has been programmed with different spatial responses. For example, within the drum kit, two versions are provided for some kit elements. The first maintains a conventional front/left/right location but the second is spatially dynamic. For both snare and hi‑hat, that involves changing their spatial position on each hit letting you create ‘spatial rhythms’. The stick‑based percussion instrument is similar in this regard. All the instruments also feature spatially based effects but with full control over the wet/dry balance for flexibility. Spatial dynamics aside, there is a creative edge to the sound design, and all the instruments are very playable and responsive.
Spat Curve is undoubtedly both unusual and novel. Indeed, I think ‘experimental’ is also an appropriate description...
Spat Curve is undoubtedly both unusual and novel. Indeed, I think ‘experimental’ is also an appropriate description, and Mexico‑based Nine Angles For Forte won financial support for the development process. Obviously this is a niche product and, while it is not cheap, I suspect it will be of most interest to media composers who have a suitable multi‑speaker monitoring system. That said, it translates well enough to binaural (which is how I did my own testing).
It is also worth noting that configuring both Kontakt and your DAW to fully exploit the multi‑channel nature of the instruments is quite a technical process. The documentation and tutorial video are essential references on this front. The website also has session templates for Pro Tools and Reaper, as well as output CFG files for Kontakt to get you started. Hopefully, similar templates might be offered for other DAWs at some stage. Is Spat Curve the first of a new frontier of virtual instruments designed specifically for composing in spatial audio? Maybe so. Watch this space...